Aly Ngouille Ndiaye has revealed that the 1.7 billion FCFA in political funds specifically allocated to Ousmane Sonko were reportedly fully depleted before Sonko requested additional budgetary support. This disclosure raises significant questions concerning the transparent management of these expenditures in Senegal.
Former Interior Minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye has reignited public discourse regarding the special funds designated for high-ranking state officials. Before delving into presidential funds, Ndiaye emphasized that Ousmane Sonko, currently the Prime Minister, must first account for his use of resources provided during his tenure as head of government.
Tracing the history of this particular allocation, Aly Ngouille Ndiaye asserted that the current Prime Minister is the first Senegalese head of government to receive political funds specifically tied to his office. He highlighted that most former Prime Ministers are still living—with the exception of Boun Abdallah Dionne—and confirmed that neither Dionne nor Amadou Bâ ever benefited from such a dedicated budget. Ndiaye also noted that Sidiki Kaba, who succeeded Sonko at the Primature, served for too brief a period for this specific issue to arise in his case.
The mystery surrounding the 1.7 billion FCFA
The former minister then revisited the figure of 1.7 billion FCFA, a sum frequently mentioned by Ousmane Sonko himself, though its periodicity remains ambiguous. While some suggest it’s a quarterly amount, others believe it to be an annual allocation. Ngouille Ndiaye underscored that if this endowment were indeed quarterly, the annual total would then approach 8 billion FCFA.
Aly Ngouille Ndiaye echoed earlier statements made by Abdourahmane Diouf, indicating that the 1.7 billion FCFA fund was entirely spent before Sonko sought a supplementary budget. He argued that the fact that Sonko’s successor at the Primature found no available funds confirms that the first quarter’s allocation had indeed been fully utilized. Ndiaye presented this observation as a factual statement rather than an accusation.
Finally, Aly Ngouille Ndiaye contended that, for the sake of consistency and transparency, Ousmane Sonko should have integrated his own management of special funds into the scope of the inquiry commissions he personally established. Furthermore, Ndiaye hinted at possessing additional information on the matter, though he chose not to disclose it publicly at this time, adding intrigue to African politics English discussions.
